Investigation at Connecticut school for deaf children reveals sexual abuse dating back to 1950s

The abuse at the American School for the Deaf dates back to the 1950s, an investigation showed. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

An exhaustive investigation at a school for deaf children in Connecticut revealed a past culture rampant with sexual misconduct, which allegedly allowed for staff members — some of them high-ranking — to abuse students for decades.

The American School for the Deaf in West Hartford on Friday released their findings in the investigation a year after officials said they received dozens of accounts of alleged sexual abuse dating all the way back to the 1950s, according to the Hartford Courant.

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Interviews with more than 80 alumni, witnesses and former faculty and staff corroborated claims of sexual misconduct against several former faculty and staff, including a longtime executive director.

Others reported “persistent” corporal punishment and abuse, with claims dating back as far as the 1960s all the way through the 80s.

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According to the report, students were forced to kneel on broomsticks, restrained with straight jackets, forced to eat until they became ill and confined in hampers and closets as punishment.

“The results of this investigation reveal startling and appalling truths. As a community, we offer a sincere and heartfelt apology to the survivors of the inexcusable actions identified in this report and for the fact that the School did not prevent or stop them,” the report reads.

“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. Though we cannot erase the pain from the past, we are committed to ensuring that the actions detailed in this report are never repeated, and we will continue to work diligently to ensure our students are treated with care and respect they are entitled to.”

All allegations have since been reported to the appropriate authorities.

School officials have declined to comment on the investigation outside of the report, triggered by allegations brought to staff in February 2019.

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In response to the findings, the American School for the Deaf said it plans to implement a mandated reported training to be completed on a yearly basis, Fox 61 reported. Officials said additional security cameras have been placed at the school and they also intend to introduce a software that allows for students to report incidents anonymously.